Afeni Shakur Biography

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Afeni Shakur
Afeni Shakur (born 1947), mother of the famous American rapper Tupac Shakur, was an important member of the Black Panther Party.

She led a series of chapters during the "break down" of the Black Panther party. Her intellect and ability enabled her to edit and write columns for the Panther Post with such strategic craftiness that it misled the FBI to believe that the Black Panther Party was no longer in existence, while in fact they were multiplying rapidly.

While pregnant with her son, Afeni Shakur was incarcerated for withholding information that could have led to the arrest of leading members of "Panther 21". While in prison, Afeni Shakur reportedly obtained a court order to have one boiled egg per day because the food within the jail was unfit for an expecting mother. She defended herself in court during a bomb conspiracy trial and was acquitted of 156 counts against her and other members of the Black Panther Party. No evidence was found to support the charges.

Since her son's death, Afeni Shakur has overseen the release of his work. A year after the Tupac's death, she founded the Georgia-based Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation, which provides art programs for young people. She has also since launched a fashion clothing line, Makaveli Branded; all proceeds go to his charity, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation.